Fridericus begins*
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Series: 2nd Battle of Kharkov
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_Soviet Union*
_____vs.*
__Germany*

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Date: 17th of May, 1942*
0500 Hours*
Location: South-East of Kharkov*
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Designed By: Ts4EVER*
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Background 2nd Battle of Kharkov: Following the successful winter offensives in 1941, Stalin was keen to keep the pressure on the enemy, hoping to preempt another assault on Moscow with his own offensive. He was especially in favor of going on the offensive in the Kharkov sector, the city having fallen to the enemy in the summer of 1941. The attack was to be undertaken by the South-West-Front in a pincer movement, from the Barvenkovo salient and the Stariy Saltov bridgehead. Once massed artillery had broken through the German line, mobile group would be fed into the breaches to encircle AOK6 and reconquer Kharkov. However, due to supply issues, especially with artillery ammunition, as well as the undetected presence of German mobile reserves, the plan soon proved ill-advised...
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Briefing: Operation "Fridericus" had been planned for a while. Its goal was to cut off the Barvenkovo salient in preparation for "Fall Blau", the German summer offensive towards the Caucasus and Stalingrad. The Soviet Kharkov offensive had preempted the German strike, but with the Russian forces overextended in the southern area of operations, the time is finally ripe for "Fridericus". Against four overstretched Russian Rifle Divisions, the Germans have amassed the following forces: III AK around Stepanovka, consisting of: 14. Panzer, 60. (mot.) Infanterie, 1. Gebirgs and 100. leichte Infanterie division, supported by Stug Abteilung 245. Further to the east they field XXXXIV AK: 16. Panzer, 97. leichte Infanterie and 68., 384. and 389. Infanterie divisions. The offensive will be launched at 0500 after a short but heavy and well-planned artillery strike. You are in command of two battalions of the 100. leichte Infanterie-Division. Your task is to break through the enemy lines and seize three strongpoints. This will allow the Germans to exploit northwards, hopefully cutting of the Barvenkovo salient at its base und bagging all the Russian attacking units south of Kharkov. Attached to your infantry are StugIIIs and truck-mounted flak for direct fire support.
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The line is weakly held by the 106th Rifle division in a strongpoint type defense. They had time to dig in, but are without tank support.
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Historical Scenario, designed to be played as the Germans.
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POSSIBLE SPOILERS
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The carefully staged German combined arms offensive utterly destroyed the frontline Rifle Divisions, tearing the Soviet front open. Before the day was over, confusion reigned in the Red Army.